Method of providing message information, including call subject information, to a recipient of a telephone call

ABSTRACT

A methodology wherein a voice service client application on one or more phones and a voice service server perform a call set-up process through a mix of an external data channel and a normal voice channel that enables call subject information to be effectively provided by a calling party to a called party so that it can be displayed along with other caller ID information.

CROSS-REFERENCE OF RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/393,077 filed Feb. 26, 2009, the contents of which areincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The disclosed and claimed concept relates generally to telephony systemsand, more particularly, to a method of providing message information,including information relating to the subject of a telephone call, tothe recipient of the telephone call.

2. Background Information

As is known, traditional telephony systems implement circuit-switchedvoice telephone communications technology. Such telephony systemsinclude traditional land line systems that utilize the public switchedtelephone network (PSTN), and cellular (wireless) systems whichimplement circuit-switched voice telephone communications via cellularradio channels employing an air interface involving radio frequency (RF)communications and using one or more networks of land based radiotransmitters or base stations, commonly referred to as a public landmobile network (PLMN), which interconnect with other PLMNs and the PSTN.In such systems (both land line and cellular), it is known to employ acaller identification service (commonly referred to as calleridentification (caller ID or CID) or calling number identification(CNID)). Caller ID is a telephone service that transmits a caller'snumber to the called party's telephone equipment during the ringingsignal, or when the call is being set up but before the call isanswered. Where available, caller ID can also provide a name associatedwith the calling telephone number. The information made available to thecalled party is typically made visible on the display of the calledparty's telephone. While the caller's name and telephone number may beuseful to the called party, it would also be useful if informationrelating to the subject of the call could also be effectively provided.Such information would, for example, aid the called party in determiningwhether to answer the call. Thus, there is a need for a method foreffectively providing call subject information to a called party in atelephony system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A full understanding of the disclosed and claimed concept can be gainedfrom the following Description when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a telephony system which provides callsubject information to a called party according to one particular,non-limiting embodiment of the disclosed and claimed concept;

FIG. 2A is a flowchart showing a method for enabling the calling partyto elect whether to include call subject information when a call isplaced according to one particular, non-limiting embodiment of thedisclosed and claimed concept;

FIGS. 2B through 2E are exemplary display screens that may be employedin the method of FIG. 2A;

FIGS. 3A through 3C are a flowchart of a method of providing callsubject information to a called party in the telephony system of FIG. 1according to one particular embodiment; and

FIG. 4 shows an exemplary display screen which displays call subjectinformation in accordance with one particular, non-limiting embodimentof the disclosed and claimed concept.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the specification.

DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a telephony system 2 which provides callsubject information to a called party according to one particular,non-limiting embodiment of the disclosed and claimed concept. Asdescribed in detail elsewhere herein, the solid lines in FIG. 1represent voice signals carried on a voice channel, and the dashed linesin FIG. 1 represent data signals carried on a data channel. Thetelephony system 2 includes first and second phones 4, identified asPhone #1 and Phone #2. Each phone 4 may be a land line telephone or awireless telephone, such as a known cellular phone or another handheldelectronic device having wireless telephone functionality (e.g., aso-called smartphone). Each phone 4 is operatively coupled to a network6 which is capable of transmitting both voice and data signals asdescribed elsewhere herein. In one particular, non-limiting embodiment,each of the phones 4 is a wireless phone and the network 6 is a cellularnetwork as described elsewhere herein which includes one or more PLMNscoupled to the PSTN. As will be appreciated, other combinations arepossible within the scope of the disclosed and claimed concept. Inaddition, each phone 4 has a voice service client application 8 residentthereon that is executable by the phone 4 (the processor thereof) andwhich provides the functionality described in detail elsewhere herein.For purposes of illustrating the disclosed and claimed concept, in theexamples provided herein, phone 4 identified as Phone #1 is the callingparty and phone 4 identified as Phone #2 is the called party. It shouldbe understood, however, that the roles of such phones 4 may be reversed.It should be understood that additional phones 4 may be included in thetelephony system 2, such as in a conference call situation where one ofthe phones 4 is the calling party initiating the conference call and twoor more of the other phones 4 are the called parties.

As seen in FIG. 1, the telephony system 2 also includes a voice serviceserver 10 that is operatively coupled to the network 6. The voiceservice server 10 is preferably a computing apparatus (e.g., a servercomputer or computers) having and executing a voice service serverapplication which provides the functionality described in detailelsewhere herein. In addition, the telephony system 2 further includes aprivate branch exchange (PBX) 12, or some other suitable network nodesuch as a network gateway, that is operatively coupled to the network 6.

According to an aspect of the disclosed concept, the calling party usingphone 4 identified as Phone #1 is, prior to actually initiating a callto a desired number, able to elect whether to (i) simply place the callto the desired number, or (ii) place the call to the desired number (thephone 4 identified as Phone #2 of the called party in the example beingused herein) with a call subject message being provided therewith inaccordance with the disclosed and claimed concept. FIG. 2A is aflowchart showing one, non-limiting method for enabling the callingparty to make such an election which is preferably implemented by thevoice service client application 8. The method begins at step 14,wherein the voice service client application 8 of the phone 4 identifiedas Phone #1 receives a request from the calling party (throughappropriate input using an input mechanism such as a keypad ortouchscreen provided as part of phone 4) for placing a voice call to aspecified recipient (e.g., a specified phone number or a contactselected from an address book of the phone 4), namely the called partyusing phone 4 identified as Phone #2 in the present example. At step 16,the phone 4 identified as Phone # 1 provides a call options message tothe calling party which asks the calling party whether he or she wouldlike to place the requested call with a call subject message. FIG. 2Bshows a display 28 of the phone 4 having a screen 30 provided thereonfor implementing such a call options message according to oneparticular, non-limiting embodiment. As seen in screen 30, the callingparty is able to select the option he or she prefers. At step 18, adetermination is made as to whether the call with subject message optionhas been selected. If the answer is no, then, at step 20, the call canbe placed using known methods. If, however, the answer at step 18 isyes, then, at step 20, the phone 4 identified as Phone # 1 prompts theuser to enter the desired message information. FIG. 2C shows the display28 having a screen 32 provided thereon for implementing such a promptaccording to one particular, non-limiting embodiment. Next, at step 24,the phone 4 identified as Phone #1 receives the desired messageinformation. FIG. 2D shows the screen 32 after the calling party hasentered the desired message information (using an input mechanism suchas a keypad or touchscreen provided as part of phone 4). Then, at step26, the phone 4 identified as Phone # 1 proceeds with the call in themanner described below in connection with FIGS. 3A-3C. FIG. 2E shows thedisplay 28 having a screen 34 provided hereon for implementing aconfirmation of the call with the desired message information accordingto one example embodiment.

FIGS. 3A-3C are a flowchart of a method of providing call subjectinformation to a called party in the telephony system 2 according to oneparticular embodiment. Again, for purposes of illustration, in thedescription associated with FIGS. 3A-3C, phone 4 identified as Phone #1is the calling party and phone 4 identified as Phone #2 is the calledparty. It should be understood, however, that the roles of such phones 4may be reversed, and/or that additional phones 4 may be included in thetelephony system 2. The method of FIGS. 3A-3C assumes that the callingparty has made an election to place a call to a desired number (thephone 4 identified as Phone #2 of the called party in the example beingused herein) with a call subject message being provided therewith basedon, for example, the method shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 3A, the method begins at step 40, wherein Phone 4identified as Phone #1 generates a call request data message for placinga voice call to Phone 4 identified as Phone #2 which includes (i) thephone number for Phone 4 identified as Phone #2 and (ii) the desiredmessage information for the call which, for example, identifies thesubject or purpose for the call. At step 42, the call request datamessage is sent from Phone 4 identified as Phone #1 to the voice serviceserver 10 through the network 6 on a data channel. The communication ofstep 42 is shown in FIG. 1 by the dashed lines identified by the lettersA and B. Next, at step 44, the voice service server 10 generates anincoming call notification data message that includes the followinginformation: (i) the name of the caller associated with Phone 4identified as Phone #1, i.e., the calling party, (ii) the actual callerID (i.e., the phone number) of the Phone 4 identified as Phone #1, (iii)the message information that was provided by the calling party, and (iv)a temporary caller ID for Phone 4 identified as Phone #1 (for thisparticular call) that is generated by the voice service server 10. Forillustrative purposes in the present example, the actual caller ID forthe Phone 4 identified as Phone #1 will be 12345 and the temporarycaller ID for the Phone 4 identified as Phone #1 will be 11111.

At step 46, the voice service server 10 sends the incoming callnotification data message generated in step 44 to Phone 4 identified asPhone #2 through the network 6 on a data channel. This datacommunication is represented by the dashed lines C and D in FIG. 1.Thus, following step 46, the Phone 4 identified as Phone #2 (the calledparty) will, based on the incoming call notification data message it hasreceived, know that it will be receiving a voice call imminently andthat that voice call will have associated with it the temporary callerID generated by the voice service server 10. The Phone 4 identified asPhone #2 will store the data of the incoming call notification datamessage until used as described herein.

Referring to FIG. 3B, the method then proceeds to step 48, wherein thePhone 4 identified as Phone #1 initiates a voice call and sends a voicesignal to the PBX 12 through the network 6 on a voice channel. Thiscommunication is indicated by the solid voice signal lines E and F ofFIG. 1. At step 50, the PBX 12 receives the voice signal (including theactual caller ID for Phone 4 identified as Phone #1), and in responsesends a data message to the voice service server 10 indicating that thevoice signal from Phone 4 identified as Phone #1 (having the providedactual caller ID) has been received. This data signal is indicated bythe dashed line G of FIG. 1. At step 52, the voice service server 10sends a data message back to the PBX 12 instructing the PBX 12 toredirect the voice signal to the Phone 4 identified as Phone #2 and toswitch the caller ID information in the voice signal from the actualcaller ID (originally included therewith) to the previously generatedtemporary caller ID. This data signal is indicated by the dashed line Hof FIG. 1. At step 54, the PBX 12, in response to the data messagereceived from the voice service server 10, redirects the modified voicesignal to Phone 4 identified as Phone #2 through the network 6 on avoice channel. This voice communication is indicated by the solid linesI and J of FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIG. 3C, the method then proceeds to step 56, whereinthe Phone 4 identified as Phone #2 (the called party) receives themodified voice signal from the PBX 12. Next, at step 58, the voiceservice client application 8 of the Phone 4 identified as Phone #2obtains the temporary caller ID from the modified voice signal andaccesses the stored actual caller ID that is associated with thetemporary caller ID that was previously received (in the incoming callnotification data message) along with the other data of the associatedincoming call notification data message (caller name and messageinformation). At step 60, the Phone 4 identified as Phone #2 displaysthe caller name, the actual caller ID and the previously receivedmessage information for the call. Thus, the temporary caller ID is usedas password for the voice service client application 8 to connect thecall with the incoming call notification data message it received justprior to the phone call. So in essence the incoming call notificationdata message includes call information (subject, name, true phonenumber/actual caller ID) and a password (temporary caller ID). If aphone call that doesn't contain the password lands on Phone #2 after theincoming call notification data message is processed by the voiceservice client application 8 of Phone #2, Phone #2 will not connect theinformation in the incoming call notification data message with thatphone call. In an alternative embodiment, the use of the temporarycaller ID is be omitted. In this embodiment, the incoming callnotification data message will only have the actual caller ID and notthe temporary caller ID, and the voice signal sent to the Phone 4identified as Phone #2 will have the actual caller ID and not thetemporary caller ID (i.e., the switch of step 52 is not performed). Insuch a case, the actual caller ID acts as the password.

FIG. 4 shows the display 28 of Phone 4 identified as Phone #2 whichincludes a screen 66 displaying the information as specified in step 60according to one particular, non-limiting embodiment. Next, at step 62,a determination is made in Phone 4 identified as Phone #2 as to whetherthe user thereof (the called party) answers the call. If the answer isno, then the method ends. If, however, the answer is yes, then Phone 4identified as Phone #2 provides the voice signal for the call to theuser. In one particular, non-limiting embodiment, the call log of Phone4 identified as Phone #2 will store all of the information that wasdisplayed in step 60. Thus, if the called party reviews the call log forprior calls (either missed or received), the called party will be ableto associate a subject with the call that was implemented in accordancewith FIGS. 3A through 3C, or any other call generated by that process.

Thus, the telephony system 2 shown in FIG. 1 and the methods shown inFIG. 2 and FIGS. 3A through 3C provide a methodology wherein the voiceservice client application 8 on each Phone 4 and the voice serviceserver 10 perform a call set-up process through a mix of an externaldata channel and a normal voice channel that enables call subjectinformation to be effectively provided by a calling party to a calledparty so that it can be displayed along with other caller IDinformation.

While specific embodiments of the disclosed and claimed concept havebeen described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in theart that various modifications and alternatives to those details couldbe developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure.Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to beillustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the disclosed andclaimed concept which is to be given the full breadth of the claimsappended and any and all equivalents thereof.

1. An apparatus for a phone, said apparatus comprising: a processorconfigured to: detect a call notification message that identifies afirst and a second ID, and a subject message; store the first ID and thesecond ID, and the subject message; detect a voice signal that includesthe second ID; and output the first ID together with the subjectmessage.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first IDcomprises an actual caller ID and the second ID comprises a temporarycaller ID.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said apparatusfurther comprises a memory in which said processor stores the actualcaller ID, the temporary caller ID, and the subject message, and,wherein said processor further utilizes the temporary caller ID asincluded in the voice signal to access the actual caller ID and subjectmessage stored in the memory for output.
 4. The apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises a memory in which saidprocessor stores the first ID and the second ID, and the subjectmessage, and wherein said processor further utilizes the second ID asincluded in the voice signal to access the first ID and the subjectmessage stored in the memory for output.
 5. The apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein said processor outputs the first ID together with thesubject message by initiating visual display of the first ID and thesubject message.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidapparatus is implemented by a client application on said phone.
 7. Theapparatus according to claim 1, wherein said phone operates in a networkand wherein said processor is further configured to: receive a requestto place an outgoing call to a recipient; receive information associatedwith the outgoing call, and send a call request message, including thephone number of said phone and the information associated with theoutgoing call to the network.
 8. A communication device comprising aprocessor and a memory, said processor configured to receive anotification message that includes at least one call notification ID anda call information message, and store said at least one callnotification ID and said call information message in said memory, saidprocessor further configured to receive a voice call signal thatincludes a voice call ID, determine if said voice call ID is included insaid at least one call notification ID stored in said memory, and outputsaid call information message in response to a determination that saidvoice call ID is included in said at least one call notification IDstored in said memory.
 9. The communication device according to claim 8,wherein said at least one call notification ID includes an actual callerID and a first temporary caller ID, and wherein said voice call ID insaid voice signal includes a second temporary caller ID, and saidprocessor determines if said voice call ID is included in said at leastone call notification ID stored in said memory by comparing said firsttemporary caller ID with said second temporary caller ID.
 10. Thecommunication device according to claim 8, wherein said at least onecall notification ID includes an actual caller ID and wherein saidapparatus, further, in response to a determination that said voice callID is included in said at least one call notification ID stored in saidmemory, outputs said actual caller ID along with said call informationmessage.
 11. The communication device according to claim 8, wherein saidcommunication device operates in a network and comprises an inputdevice, and wherein said input device is configured to receive a requestfor placing a call to a specified recipient and receive informationassociated with said call, and wherein said processor is furtherconfigured to send a call request message, including the informationassociated with said call and a number of said communication device,requesting said call to a specified recipient to the network.
 12. Thecommunication device according to claim 8, wherein said processoroutputs said call information message by initiating visual display ofsaid call information message.
 13. The communication device according toclaim 8, wherein said call information message comprises subjectinformation.
 14. The communication device according to claim 8, whereinsaid communication device comprises a cellular telephone.
 15. A methodfor receiving a call at a communication device, comprising: receiving anotification message that includes at least one call notification ID anda call information message; storing said at least one call notificationID and said call information message; receiving a voice call signal thatincludes a voice call ID; determining if said voice call ID is includedin said at least one call notification ID stored in said step ofstoring; and, outputting said call information message if said voicecall ID is included in said at least one call notification ID stored insaid memory.
 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said at leastone call notification ID received in said notification message includesan actual caller ID and a first temporary caller ID, and wherein saidvoice call ID received in said voice signal comprises a second temporarycaller ID and, further, wherein said step of determining if said voicecall ID is included in said at least one call notification ID comprisescomparing said first temporary caller ID with said second temporarycaller ID and, wherein said apparatus, further, in response to saidvoice call ID being determined to be included in said at least one callnotification ID stored in said memory, outputs said actual caller IDalong with said call information message.
 17. The method according toclaim 15, wherein said at least one call notification ID received insaid notification message includes an actual caller ID and wherein saidapparatus, further, in response to said voice call ID being determinedto be included in said at least one call notification ID stored in saidmemory, outputs said actual caller ID along with said call informationmessage.
 18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the communicationdevice operates in a network and includes an input device, the methodfurther comprising: inputting, at the input device, a request forplacing a call to a specified recipient; inputting, at the input device,message information associated with said call to a recipient; and,sending a call request data message including the message informationand number of the communication device to the network requesting saidcall to a recipient.
 19. The method according to claim 15, wherein saidstep of outputting comprise visually displaying said call informationmessage.
 20. The method according to claim 15, wherein saidcommunication device comprises a cellular telephone.